


An Antithesis to Devotion

by MasochisticTofu



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Drama, Emotional Baggage, F/F, Minor Original Character(s), just for two chapters i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:33:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28898196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasochisticTofu/pseuds/MasochisticTofu
Summary: Some secrets are best taken to the grave. At least, that's what Lisa thinks. If only Sayo would stop sniffing around the ones she'd already managed to bury.She doesn't want to dig another grave. Especially not if she's going to be the cause for it.(Roselia and secrets have never gone well together, have they?)
Relationships: Hikawa Sayo/Imai Lisa, Imai Lisa & Minato Yukina
Comments: 33
Kudos: 60





	1. a portent in warm colours

**Author's Note:**

> The events of the story take place post-FWF, so after the event story 'Noble Rose - The Fruition of Our Songs', which I'd like to assume takes place somewhere in the winter season, so it gets university entrance exams out of the way as well.

In retrospect, Sayo really should have seen this coming. Should have known better when it came to the machinations of her younger twin’s restless mind, always moving faster than anyone sane could keep up with. Yet here she was, trying to deal with Hina’s horrible interpretations of map symbols for the past ten minutes before Hina’s brain decided it was a good time to ping into the ‘clingy little sister’ zone. 

“Onee-chan! C’mon, it’ll be super ultra boppity bop, I promise!”

“For the last time, no. Roselia has practice.” Sayo grumbled, trying and failing to peel off her twin’s grabby hands latched onto her arm, still shaking and tugging like it might change the answer if she did it enough times.

“Ehhh?” Leaning closer to squish her cheek against Sayo’s bicep, Hina pondered for a bit before flashing the same look she gave whenever she got the last fry at the bottom of the basket. “Aren’t you guys taking a break now that Future World Fes is over? You were home the whole of last weekend, plus Lisacchi hasn’t brought her bass to school for like a week!”

“We _were_ taking a break. Rehearsals will be resuming today. Future World Fes was never the pinnacle we sought, merely a stepping stone to aid in reaching higher. ”

“Hehehe!~ Onee-chan really loves Roselia, huh? You always get so zappin’ when you talk about them!” Hina’s eyes twinkled, arms raised up like that had somehow called for a celebration. _What does this have to do with the trip anyway?_ Sayo mulled for a short while before realizing how much lighter she felt. Without the innocently bothersome presence on her arm, Sayo took the opportunity to get up for a stretch, vaguely noting the time. Leave it to Hina to pull anything or anyone into her pace before sprinting off farther ahead or somewhere else entirely. 

“If you’re quite finished, I’d like it very much if we could continue where we left off, before you started all your nonsense. And, my answer is still no.“ 

“But-!” Bright emeralds shot up abruptly before fixing themselves to a spot on the ground. With her former exuberance deflating at a worryingly rapid speed, she slumped downwards as if air was literally being drawn out of her. No, something more suitable, more necessary in Hina’s case; having her vibrancy siphoned out of her.

“Lisacchi said that Roselia is supposed to take it slow now so I thought maybe…” She mumbled out in a very ‘un-Hina’-like voice, low and feeble. (A frightening sound if Sayo had cared to be more honest with herself to admit.) Then came the nail in the coffin, Hina glancing up to meet Sayo’s eyes, wearing an expression akin to a puppy that just got kicked in the face.

_Goddamnit._ A year or so ago she would have been able to meet that sort of look with cold indifference and maybe even a little bit of disdain. Now, an enduring band and slightly officious magpie later, she finds that she’s overwhelmed by a different sort of biting numbness that’s more than resignation but acts like it is anyway. 

“You won't stop pestering me unless I at least consider it, will you?”

Like a puppy looking expectantly for a treat, Sayo swore she saw a tail wagging. 

“Fine. If Roselia’s schedule allows for it, I’ll consider going.” Apparently, all that jerking around paid off, as far as Hina was concerned, beaming away with stars in her eyes.

“Yay! I love you, Onee-chan!” Hina cheered, already moving in to breach what little personal space Sayo still had. Sayo brought her palm up to keep away her twin’s intrusive face but had no such luck with the rest of Hina’s attack, having been seized up into a tight embrace from her side. 

“I said I’d consider. There’s no guarantee so keep that in mind. Roselia runs a tight schedule.”

“Oh, oh! You should totally ask the rest of them too! Lisacchi sounded kinda interested when I mentioned it! Hmm, and I think Ako-chan would totally be down too, though Rinko-chan and Yukina-chan don’t really strike me as very outdoorsy...“ Hina rambled on, already trailing away, having had her fill of what she sought and shifting gears as quickly as she could pull them. 

“Enough with that for now. Back to the main issue, we were identifying for onsens I believe.”

“Ehh? But aren’t the ones with squiggly lines on top supposed to mean it’s a volcano?”

Thus began a series of misadventures that led to Sayo regrettably leaving for rehearsals 7 minutes and 39 seconds behind schedule. Having spent a half-hour lecturing Hina for her preposterous idea to go stargazing at the top of Mount Fuji and the subsequent hour assisting in research for an acceptable location for her activities that was _within_ the Tokyo area, she truly wondered how Haneoka was still standing with her lunatic of a sister in charge. _I ought to find a way to repay Hazawa-san for all she’s had to put up with._

Honestly, she doesn't know if she can trust Hina to lead that stargazing camping trip at this point, especially with the recent revelation that Tsurumaki Kokoro, of all people, would be co-leading. That, on top of the episode they just had was enough to make Sayo question the uneasy confidence she had quietly entrusted her sister and why she even bothered giving her that luxury in the first place. Hopefully those sunglass-clad bodyguards loitering around Tsurumaki would be able to prevent the two from tossing themselves off a cliff, attempting to see who could cartwheel to the base first, or whatever other absurd ideas the two might cook up. _I hope Tsurumaki-san at least knows how to read a map, bodyguards notwithstanding._ Then she sighed for the umpteenth time, practically feeling the blood vessels in her head pulsating. She really ought to fix Hina's horrible sense for map symbols soon. Though, a smaller yet festering part of her snickered at the notion. 

_Aww, but don’t you like it better like this?_

_Be quiet._

_Don’t be like that! Besides, you know the answer better than I do, don’t you?_

Sayo stilled, nails digging into her palms whilst glaring unforgivably at a particularly uninteresting section of sidewalk before registering how ridiculous she was being. Letting out yet another sigh, her hand moved to rub her temple, doing her utmost to shake away any inch that tiny, vile thing could potentially latch onto. She was already running behind time, letting something this irrational affect her now would only be a detriment to Roselia. A detriment she could not and would not afford.

So she continued forward, the case on her back thumping lightly as she picked up speed, the entrance of CiRCLE coming into view. As well as a familiar strike of brown curls, almost fully obstructed by the length of a bass case.

_...Imai-san?_

It would seem that Lisa wasn't by her lonesome, Sayo noted deftly. She appeared to be in a conversation with someone else, a rather animated conversation in fact, especially on the unknown individual’s end. Presumably male, inky black hair, face slightly obscured by distance and Lisa's frame, though she could make out somewhat decent albeit forgettable looking features. His frantic movements, however, spoke much of his immaturity.

That aside, something had become increasingly clear as she closed in on them. The boy looked to be terribly upset, his deepening scowl aimed plainly at the girl before him. With her back towards Sayo, she could only interpret Lisa’s thoughts on the matter through her gestures and body language. And it looked like she was either trying rather half-heartedly to comfort him or negotiating herself an exit. Perhaps both. 

Then she took a sudden, sharp bow, upper body looking almost perpendicular to the stranger’s upright figure. Sayo froze, bewildered. What exactly had she done to this person? It didn't look like the circumstance warranted such a gesture, though Sayo wouldn't quite put it past Lisa to offer an apology without actually understanding _what_ she was apologising for. Much less whether she _should_ be apologising in the first place. 

In any case, it seemed Lisa’s excessive demonstration of remorse hadn’t done much to appease him, having seized her forearm in a tight hold when she attempted to retreat towards CiRCLE's entrance. Harshly jerking her back, Sayo vaguely made out the predatory look on his face and a grip that looked only to be growing tighter. Unthawed by an overwhelming surge of fury, she distantly wondered if this was what the sentiment of moving without thinking felt like.

Rapid steps and a single thought echoing her mind, her sudden appearance between the two was definitely surprising, thus making it easy for her to swipe off the boy's weakened grip on Lisa. Instinctively, she clasped Lisa's wrist and inched the bassist further behind her, putting more distance between her and the fiend.

"Back off." She barely bit back a snarl but she could tell that her teeth were showing. The fool managed to wipe off that dumbstruck look on his face, morphing it into a hesitant glare.

"W-Who the hell are you? This ain't any of your business." He snapped, not bothering to disguise his hostility as his body shifted into a more outwardly aggressive stance, like a tiger ready to pounce. Yet the apprehension in his eyes made him out to be more of a cub. 

“While that may be true, I would surmise that you came here knowing full well that Imai-san would have to attend rehearsals, yet choosing to put her on the spot in spite of that knowledge, more than likely because of it. Should you persist in the harassment of my bandmate, you can expect the extended civility to end here.” Sayo shot back, scarcely able to keep up an even tone. Asserting her position, she vehemently denied any invasive glances aimed at Lisa, owing to her slight height advantage over the brunette as well as the guitar case on her back acting as an additional cover. Still, it seemed he didn't take the hint, or hadn't been bothered to, taking a rash step forward, a tiger about to strike its prey. 

Or more likely the clumsy cub’s pathetic attempt to intimidate. Either way, Sayo would have none of it. Maintaining an impeccable posture was one of the key principles behind kyūdō, one she was fine with exercising should it prove applicable. Undaunted by the advance, she held his baleful gaze, unflinching despite how threateningly close he stood. Locked into a silent battle of wills, it wasn’t long before she noticed his resolve faltering; the slight twitch of his throat, the sweat lining down his hairline, the slightest quiver of his lips. And it all culminated once his eyes nervously flicked away from hers, which she took as a sign to double down, a verbal evisceration eager on her lips.

But it never left, having felt a gentle yet insistent tugging against her, shaking her out of the intense staring match and serving as a reminder that there was somewhere else to be, somewhere besides potentially destroying a poor boy’s self-esteem. Sayo lamented the momentary wrath and arrogance that had overcome her, pulling herself back to an appropriate level of decency, though the last of her contempt had managed to squeeze out the cracks, keen on goading him.

"I'll ask once. Are you quite finished causing a scene or must I ask the staff here to see you off?"

A flash of worry lit his face, eyes darting around in a panic. He shoved his fists into his pockets defiantly, face swallowed back into a scowl, though his poorly hidden fear was almost palpable. With a click of his tongue announcing his withdrawal, he hastily took to his heels, defeat slumped on his shoulders. Sayo never kept her eyes off trailing him, even staring at nothing in particular well after he scampered off, entertaining the minute possibility of him returning to create another hassle with-

Realising, Sayo quickly released her grip on Lisa's wrist, feeling her cheeks heat up in a mixture of embarrassment and guilt. Making out the stinging red ring she left behind, she chided herself for her carelessness, unable to bring herself to look up into the eyes she already knew were starting to burn a hole into her.

"Sorry. I hadn’t meant to be forceful. "

"I’m-"

"You two. I was wondering why both of you had yet to show up." Before Lisa could get more than a word out, Minato Yukina stepped forth not unlike her arrivals on stage, a commanding voice that claimed total attention with practised efficiency.

"To think I’d find you two out here making small talk. I hope neither of you have gotten complacent after the success at Future World Fes.” She continued, an equally practised frown upon her face.

"You misunderstand, Minato-san. We were caught up by a sit-" 

"Ahaha alright alright! Sorry for the hold-up, Yukina! C'mon Sayo, let's not keep everyone waiting, especially our impatient diva over here!" Lisa teased, quick to bounce over to Yukina, her now bubbly disposition taking over the atmosphere, fast, fervid and with little warning. So in other words, Lisa-like.

Yukina raised an eyebrow, looking between the two with a scrutinising gaze before simply nodding and taking the lead back to their usual studio room. As expected, Yukina's response to curiosity was to simply not feed into it, a gesture of good faith or one of casual ignorance. Possibly even a mixture of the two. 

Lisa hopped closely behind, the incident from five minutes ago seemingly long forgotten, swept under the rug like an embarrassing pile of dirt. Sayo bit the inside of her cheek, quietly trailing behind the pair of childhood friends. No time for distractions, Sayo reminded herself, hoping that in itself would be enough motivation to hastily re-align her thoughts solely to Roselia.

She was, however, promptly dragged out of her thoughts by a low yet clearly attention-seeking thump. She looked up to find Lisa leaning by the wall, gesturing for her to enter with an ever so innocent smile, the kind that always held more to it than what was let on. The furrow of her brows couldn't have been helped but she heeded regardless.

Just as Sayo moved past her, a step away from the door, she felt a soft pull of her shoulder and a pair of pink-glossed lips less than an inch from her ear, setting off a jolt of electricity down her spine.

"We'll talk later, okay? Let's just focus on practice for now." 

Nodding dumbly, she was dimly aware of feet dragging her mindlessly into the room, all whilst fingers fidgeted about the shell of her ear, the same one that felt warm to the touch.

* * *

“Then, ba-BAM! ‘Elysium Aegis’ came crashing down at the perfect timing, basically parrying the boss’ strongest ability and hard-cc-ing him with a ten second stun, more than enough time for Rinrin and Ako to channel ‘Eternum Infernus’ and ‘Pestilence Maelstrom’ for the wombo combo, finishing off the boss and the last event dungeon just in time!“ Ako buzzed away enthusiastically, retelling the tales of their NFO exploits from a few days back to an attentive albeit rather confused looking Lisa. 

Even after their lengthy practice session, the girl sounded like she was still raring to go, boundless energy encased within her tiny frame. Not that Sayo expected anything less from the so-called princess of darkness, or whatever strange title she fancied. Granted, she did wish she could better utilize that energy for say, cleaning up. But Lisa never seems to mind, having wordlessly volunteered just as she had countless times before. 

“Okay, I got like, maybe half of those fancy terms? Still, that sounds like such a ride! Makes me kinda wanna hop back in, y’know? Not to mention getting a front row seat to see the famed shield knight, Sayo-sama, in full glory.“ Lisa had been grinning wider with each word, unapologetically amused, going so far as to send an overplayed wink in Sayo’s direction, which earned a glare in return.

“Don’t tease me, Imai-san. You should know quite well that Udagawa-san tends to exaggerate, to put it lightly. I was definitely not as sensational as she described.” Unfortunately, her input had been, for the most part, unanimously ignored.

“Nuh-uh! Trust me, Lisa-nee! Sayo-san’s really, really cool! Perfect parrying is like, literally the hardest thing for knight players to master but Sayo-san does it without even trying! Right, Rinrin?”

“Indeed… Hikawa-san’s timing… is impressively accurate.” Rinko spoke up, her usual muted tone laced with wonder and conviction.

“I-I was simply doing what was required of me. It’s the job of those in the Knight class to protect their party members after all.” Sayo spluttered lightly, knowing well her cheeks were already tinted with how hot her face was becoming. She needed to gain back some footing soon, lest be a sitting duck for more teasing, particularly at the hands of a certain mischievous bassist. 

“That aside, didn’t you two mention something about getting a head start for the new event?”

“Yes… We were thinking it would be wise to… scope out the new… raid boss.” Rinko said with her small smile, subtle twitching of fingers against her keyboard case.

“You’re joining us too right, Sayo-san?” Then there was Ako, whose enthusiastic demeanour had been dialed back slightly, sounding meeker as if unsure of herself. 

“I…” Eyes trailed towards Lisa in her peripherals briefly, moving back to pack up her own station, before meeting the small drummer’s hopeful gaze. “Perhaps later in the evening. I have some things to attend to beforehand.”

“Awesome!” Pumping her fist into the air, it didn’t take long for Ako to clear up the last of her packing, the shine from before still reflected in her eyes. _If this is all it takes to get her to clear up..._

“Rinrin!~ Let's go stock up on some supplies before the grind! We’ll see you later then, Sayo-san! Bye Lisa-nee! Bye Yukina-san!” The youngest girl was already halfway out the door, limitless energy on full display.

“Ako-chan…! I-I don’t think Tomoe-san will… appreciate the amount of energy drinks and... junk food you’ve been consuming.” Rinko murmured slightly frantically, giving her brief farewells before rushing to catch up with the ever exuberant Ako.

“I suddenly find myself rather concerned about Udagawa-san’s eating habits.” Sayo’s dry yet faintly amused words filled in the now much quieter room, accompanied only by the soft sounds of shuffling and accidental vibrating strings as they packed. 

“You say that but a peculiar source of mine mentioned the abundance of potato sticks you have stashed away.“ Sayo turned away from Lisa’s catlike grin, her blush back with a vengeance. Mumbling something about possibly murdering her younger twin had only incited a casual laugh from the bassist, which would have been more worrying had she chosen that moment to be a decent older sister. Instead, what came to intrude was a brusque cough.

Sayo glanced to the source, spotting Yukina idly skimming through the recent issue of a music magazine they both had a subscription to, yet to pack up any of her things. Sayo felt a pang of guilt having seemingly left the vocalist to her own devices throughout the various conversations. Lisa had been on a similar wavelength it seemed, though clearly her mouth had been quicker to move.

"Hm? Yukina, you aren’t heading back yet?” Lisa asked, bass guitar already snug within the confines of her case before she slung it over her shoulders. 

"Don't fret about me. I was actually looking to extend the studio time for some individual practice." She stated firmly, eyes still not leaving the pages of her magazine.

"As dedicated as always, Minato-san."

"That goes without saying. I would imagine that being the case for yourself as well, Sayo." At this she had looked up, locking eyes with Sayo, the slight edge in her tone not going undetected, much to Sayo’s confusion. As subtle as it had been made to be, it stood no chance against Lisa apparently, ever vigilant when it came to unrest. Taking the reins of the conversation, she made a sharp turn, steering away from places it shouldn’t have been.

"Hey, hey, don’t go overworking yourself, alright? You promised to take it slow.“ Lisa remarked, a slight frown forming as she did, arms folded.

"Lisa, I’ll be fine. This is what I usually do, after all.” Gold eyes moved to meet Lisa’s gaze, resolved yet also conveying a sense of reassurance. 

Lisa’s expression softened, giving a short nod as a reply. It would seem she's gotten better at quelling her overprotectiveness towards Yukina, Sayo noted. Though she did wonder how the bassist managed while still being so expressive with her affection. A topic for another time she supposed.

“I believe we should leave now, Imai-san. Unless you wish to be late for your commitments.”

“Oh, right right! We better hurry, Sayo!”

“Wait… Are the two of you… going out? “ Yukina piped up, sounding genuinely intrigued, though it had definitely been a rare instance of such. Anxious to clear the odd looks directed at her, she articulated the rest of her thoughts somewhat hastily. “Going out somewhere, I meant. I just thought it was a tad unusual given that you two would normally be heading in different directions.”

With Lisa's response being a soft ‘ah’ followed by a blank stare of more than ten seconds, Sayo concluded it was up to her to salvage this conversation from becoming a potentially disastrous misunderstanding. Even if she felt like she might spontaneously combust at any moment.

“We actually have a few matters to discuss, thus it seemed appropriate to do so while on the way to Imai-san’s workplace.” Sayo spoke calmly, surprising herself with how evenly she had managed to put her words across. Still, Yukina didn’t seem completely convinced, the same scrutinizing look from before having made a return, though so had the similar response level.

“I… see. Very well, don't let me keep you.“

* * *

The walk out of CiRCLE had been a quiet one, if not a little more than awkward following their brief miscommunication with Yukina. Neither of them had spoken since leaving the studio, proceeding on towards their destination wordlessly, the distance between them too far apart to be normal, let alone comfortable.

The matter from earlier still hung in the air, the foolish boy who had the gall to make trouble with the bassist, before a rehearsal no less. While it was difficult broaching the topic, Sayo figured that one of them would have to do it eventually, lest be trapped in this unbearable silence. She just hoped she wouldn’t do so too cumbersomely.

“That person… do you know him?” Too late. Apparently, Sayo had run out of common sense for the day. Lisa was almost able to hide the mirth in her smile, though it had been of a good nature as far as Sayo could tell.

“Boy, you really aren't good at this, huh? My bad, my bad, I should've been the one who started off. I was just kinda... lost in my own little world for a sec. Where to start…” Lisa chuckled lightly before giving pause, contemplating. 

“Soichiro is a co-worker of mine. He found out about practice today and asked to meet me before it started, saying it was urgent. Turns out, he had wanted to tell me about his… uh feelings… for me.” She shuffled uncomfortably, eyes glued to the ground, frowning. “We’ve only had a couple shifts together here and there and sure, he’s a pretty alright guy but… you know. I told him I didn’t feel the same way, but he didn’t exactly take it too well.“

“ ...Uh, Sayo? You there?”

Somewhere along the way, Sayo had gone stiff without realizing, back held too straight, frown worn too deep. And her mind off to an entirely different place. A place it shouldn’t have been.

_Focus. This isn’t about you._

“I-” She cleared her throat, briefly looking up to meet Lisa’s concerned eyes tracing her. “I apologise. I was rather deep in thought.”

“Hah.. I was probably pretty horrible, wasn’t I…” Gray eyes spun away from Sayo’s gaze, voice thick with self-deprecation. 

“No!” She had let out a bark, sudden and loud, so much that Lisa had been taken aback. Drawing herself back, she spoke again, calmer. “No, I definitely do not think what you did was wrong. I’d go as far as to say that you shouldn’t have even gone to such lengths to seek his forgiveness.”

“You saw that too? Ahaha…”

"You were well within your rights to reject him, thus any sort of apology would be unnecessary, even somewhat harmful, given how he had acted in response.” Her scowl deepened, recalling the way the boy’s hand had clenched around Lisa’s arm. Like Lisa had truly owed him something. 

“I don’t know. I wish I had a better way of handling everything just now, instead of causing all that trouble.” She said, a now cynical smile on her lips. The same one Sayo always hated seeing. “Maybe it really was my fault.”

“Imai-san, stop it. You did nothing wrong. If anything, I would say that you had managed to handle everything as maturely and peacefully as you were able. The way he had chosen to react wasn’t in your control, so you shouldn’t be blaming yourself for it.”

“...Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Though she might have said so, Sayo could tell she might not actually believe her or herself when she agreed to the statement, more so just seeking to reassure Sayo. Not that Sayo would get a chance to point it out, what with Lisa snatching the conversation back to suit her liking.

"Hey, Sayo. I didn’t actually get a chance to thank you yet, did I? How about I take you somewhere sometime? A cafe? Oh, oh! A dog cafe maybe?” While the prospect of being surrounded by droves of delightfully fluffy creatures sounded incredibly appealing, she hadn’t liked how quickly Lisa sought to move away from the topic, shifting the mood so jarringly as if it hadn’t taken a dip just minutes prior.

“But, honestly Sayo! I wouldn't know what I'd do if you hadn't swooped in like my knight in shining armor!" The brunette made an abrupt turn to face her companion, taking Sayo’s right hand with both of her own, a soft smile directed towards her. “Thank you, Sayo.”

"I-I just did whatever I thought necessary. I would have done it for anyone... " She mumbled, seizing her hand back and moving her face away from the other girl in an attempt to conceal her growing flush.

_Important matters to discuss indeed, Sayo._

Damn you, she cursed the vague caricature that taunted her from the back of her mind, only doing well to intensify the heat she felt on her face. 

“I-In any case, will you be informing Minato-san? She seems rather curious on the matter, as curious as Minato-san can get at least.”

"Ah.” She hesitated before speaking up again, an unusual display of apprehension on her part. “I don't really want to burden Yukina with this situation honestly. It's my problem so I should deal with it." 

An awkward bout of silence had returned again, but it wasn’t long before it was broken with Lisa stuttering out, flustered.

"B-B-But it's not like I want to burden you either, or anyone in Roselia for that matter. I mean, I could probably- No, I am going to deal with this myself. I mean it's not even a big dea-"

"Imai-san, I don't think it's a burden. Moreover, I feel that as your bandmate..." She pushed down the lump in her throat before continuing.

"...As your friend. I refuse to stand by and watch you attempt such matters on your own when I can offer my assistance.”

_Trust me. Or the very least talk to me._

They had had this sort of conflict before, hadn’t they. Was it even a conflict though? Or just a bad habit on both their parts.

A palpable tension filled the air between them, a thousand words to be said but not a single one spoken. Though the spell was gone as quickly as it came.

"Man, you're really such a sweetheart, Sayo!~ I can see why Hina won’t stop gushing about you." Lisa giggled brightly, a cheeky smirk which only grew wider proportional to how red Sayo’s cheeks got. Distantly, Sayo noted how clear of a dodge it had been, yet she had allowed it to work, the growing embarrassment outweighing her better judgment.

"Imai-san! As I had mentioned previously, I do not appreciate you gossiping with Hina about me."

"Gossip? Nah, that isn't gossip at all! Though I can tell you what _is_ gossip. Disciplinary enforcer by day, Guitarist of Roselia by night. Capturing the hearts of maidens from Hanasakigawa to Haneoka. Careful Sayo, you might just steal Kaoru's title as the dashing guitarist prince. Or perhaps prince of dazzling guitar? Y’know what, those names need a lot of workshopping.” Lisa spoke with a chuckle, keenly invested in her ridiculous concept of a Hikawa Sayo with the reputation of one Seta Kaoru. Yet somehow, Sayo had narrowly caught something beyond that, a glint of... something else behind those gray eyes and almost perfectly pitched laughter. But it faded into non-existence just as soon as it had appeared, leaving Sayo unsure of what to say next, lost in her thoughts once more. 

"Here is fine.” Sayo shot up her haze to find themselves just a short way from the familiar vista of overtly bright lights and the faint toll of a repetitive chime. “You should probably head back soon. I'm sure Hina's eager to see her favourite sister! But I'm sure that's something you know better than I do, huh?" Lisa’s words had been laced with spiced honey, her smile just as sweet, which only grew more brilliant upon hearing Sayo mutter that she was her only sister. 

Snapping out of her stupor, she finally brought herself to speak up before the brunette could escape her grasp. “Imai-san, before you go. Should that… person seek to trouble you again, do not hesitate to contact me. I will do everything in my power to assist you.”

The change in atmosphere had been instantaneous, a subtly overwhelming charge buzzing between them. Lime green eyes couldn’t help but faintly linger, longing despite knowing better than to do so, and if Sayo had been any less rational in that moment, she would have believed Lisa was doing the same. 

Strangely, Lisa’s hand had moved towards Sayo’s face only to stop midway, abruptly pulling back to catch her idle hand instead, thumbs rubbing soothingly on the top of Sayo’s palm, gray eyes trailing away from the guitarist’s gaze. “You're really sweet, aintcha?” A glimpse once more of that indecipherable expression, but only just. "I... I'll do my best to make it so that this doesn't happen again." 

It was, at best, a flimsy answer to a vague promise, if even a promise at all rather than a way to pacify an overprotective Sayo. Though Sayo, begrudgingly, didn't seek to push it. She could empathise after all, the desire to do everything by one’s own hand, not wanting to put any additional load on someone else's shoulders. It'd be hypocritical to call her out, even if it wasn't something she's particularly fond of in terms of Lisa's character. She tended to overdose on that, even more so than Sayo herself.

As if sensing Sayo's internalized distress, she let out a sigh as she shook her head. She shifted her hand so their fingers could lace together slightly, met at the first knuckles but not enough to clasp fully. Her gray eyes, gentle. Sincere. And maybe even a little sad. Though Sayo presumed it could be just a trick of the setting sun’s unreliable glow.

"I know it's getting pretty annoying but, really. Thank you, Sayo." 

And in true Lisa-like fashion, she skipped away, a whirlwind that cares not for any potential destruction left in its wake.

"Gotta go now! See ya!~" She gave her signature wink before disappearing behind a set of automatic doors, hand sticking out to send a last wave.

That left Sayo under the fresh streetlights, a backdrop of amber and violet above her. Alone and cold despite the colours of warmth that should’ve engulfed her. 

_It just isn’t the same._


	2. leave your heart at the door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cw // attempted sexual assault, mild violence, mild mentions of blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay, work has been leaving me with lesser time than usual. Sorry if the quality has dipped slightly as well. Time has been sparse for me to say the least. 
> 
> Also, i've tried a slightly different style for writing this chapter compared to the previous chapter. I'm not sure if it'll come off too jumpy or anything else, so do let me know your thoughts on it.

Lisa wasn’t ignorant. But neither was she heartless, not enough to cut someone off without a word or an explanation at the very least. When she got home after her shift, she had sent a direct and curt message to Soichiro, making it clear that his previous behaviour was inappropriate, thus deciding that it would be best that they didn’t interact with each other any further until he could be civil. She had anticipated a rather explosive response in all honesty, maybe some swears thrown around even, so the lack of such could have been seen as a relief. Yet the egging sensation in her gut told her that things were never as calm as they seemed to be. 

But the weary mind tended to shrivel away the significance of any worries that might plagued it; the call of sleep like a siren’s song. Yet somehow Lisa’s penchant for overthinking had won out by a whisper, her mind filled with nothing yet everything, until she was left drifting between the border of reality and dreamscape. And upon reaching the cusp, just as her body was about to surrender to the abyss of slumber, she caught a stray flutter of turquoise before being snatched up into an eager darkness.

* * *

Morning shifts on Sundays were typically manageable if not a little boring, the bulk of it spent refilling and stocking up for when the noon crowd hits. Moreover, getting up at the ‘buttcrack of dawn’ as Moca would put it, wasn’t exactly her favourite part of working the shift. Which was obviously the case for Moca as well, seeing as she was once again nowhere to be found ten minutes in. Sometimes Lisa questions how Moca hasn’t been downright fired yet, though if she’d had to guess it’ll be because their manager has a soft spot for the eternal heavy-eyed creature known as Aoba Moca.

Moving to pick up another box, she stumbled back slightly, off balance. The exhaustion seemed to be hitting harder than usual, no doubt thanks to the bare minimum of sleep she got as well as the short gap between her shifts. _Me and my great planning, huh?_ She stifled back a yawn upon hearing the bell go off, pushing down her drowsiness to fit that customer service smile as best she could. 

"Welco-'' She didn't quite manage to get the last syllable out upon turning to see who it was, the feeling of unease from the night before now swallowing her whole. Soichiro stood by the door, stone-faced, staring a hole through her.

Slowly, clumsily, Lisa shuffled back behind the counter like a good little store clerk, though she knew it had been more of a haphazard defensive response than anything else. Once at her vantage point, she soon realized that he was no longer in her field of view. Quiet, sluggish footsteps echoed the empty store, an indication of his presence still lurking within, which only did well to stir at the festering pit of dread in her stomach. Even as she busied herself sorting the items along the front counter, she could sense a burning gaze trailing her from beyond the gaps of the aisles, a vague shadow hovering about.

It could have been a minute, an hour, an eternity or even a mere second. It had been too long regardless, when he had finally opted to drag his feet out of the snack aisle, a small bag of something Lisa hadn’t had the thought to discern. He stood before her at the counter, very much too close for comfort, practically breathing down her neck.

“T-That’ll be 200 yen.”

It was obvious he had been deliberately taking his time with it, lazily fumbling at his wallet, his eyes never once straying from Lisa’s direction. When he finally got out the coins, he dropped them, letting them roll eerily towards Lisa’s side of the counter. She barely caught them toying by the edge before hastily sliding whatever he bought back to him, squeaking out the preprogrammed, albeit soft ‘thank you very much’.

“...bag.”

“W-What?”

“Bag. I need a bag.”

“Oh. Her-!” He snatched her wrist, a grip so tight it was almost as if he had wanted to break it. Flailing in an attempt to get him to let go, Lisa caught his eyes briefly, reflecting what she was sure were unsavoury intentions.

_~~See? This is what you get for pretending to be a saint.~~ _

The bell chimed again, and the sounds of lazy footsteps followed soon after.

“Heyyo, guess who's early~?” Moca announced her arrival, clocking in a cool fifteen minutes late. If it had been any other time, Lisa might have teasingly commended her punctuality, earlier compared to the time she would normally get there by.

“Hm? What’s this~? Sorry, Lisa-san’s not part of the merchandise~.” She strolled over briskly, giving his hand a somewhat hard tap, enough to knock his grip off or at least get across the hint to. One might think the smile Moca had on was pleasant, though Lisa knew better. It wasn’t meant to be particularly friendly, even by Moca standards. She stared at him for a while, as if to get a better look, only to tilt her head in what seemed like mild confusion.

“Eh? Yo, aren’t you that Soi-boy or something~? Y’shift’s not today. Counter ain’t big enough for three, you know~.“ Moca gave an intentional flash of teeth through her quip, sending a light shove that shifted him back and further from the counter. He gave Moca a once-over before making a general sound of displeasure, sauntering towards the entrance. He paused just a step away from the doors, triggering the sensors while he stood still, leering at Lisa in a way that made her skin crawl. 

“Sunshine~” Moca recited her customary send-off line, though this time it had sounded more like a jeer. She made it a point to send him a wave, prompting him to disappear beyond the automated doors, and Lisa let go of the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. 

“T-Thanks, Moca.”

“Moca-chan came just in time, huh?~ But y’know.” She settled in behind the counter, giving Lisa a slight side eye with a hint of a frown. “You don’t have to keep your troubles to yourself. You can always trust ol’ Moca-chan to give you a hand~.” 

“Thanks, Moca. But you really don’t have to worry about it! I can handle it.” Lisa didn’t think the smile she was forcing was particularly convincing, and if she doesn’t even think so, Moca’s sure to have already caught on to it. Which she evidently did, what with the subtle way her face had changed, a look that already spoke of her disapproval with what Lisa was trying to tell her. 

“Hm~ If you say so, Lisa-san~.”

* * *

“And y’know, y’know! It totally worked!”

“Wait, what are we talking about again?”

“Your idea with Onee-chan! At first I was like ‘Aw, Onee-chan’s so stubborn’ but then I went pouty and muguu muguu like you said I should and she totally caved! How boppin’ is that!” Hina guffawed, overexaggerated hand motions doing very little to get across whatever she had meant, though Lisa did manage to catch what she would think to be a sort of sense of accomplishment.

“Ahaha, like I told you, Sayo’s a big ole softie, she’ll give in if she thinks you look enough like a sad puppy. Uh, but don’t tell her I said that.” Lisa let out an awkward chuckle, making a casual wave of her hand as if to dispel the image of a very displeased Sayo.

“Don’t worry, telling her would probably just make her mad and start yelling at me again, which would be super un-boppin’. But hey, y’sure you’re alright, Lisacchi? You've been looking pretty out of it since just now, wait wait no, since morning actually!” Emerald eyes focused in on her with a glint of eager hunger, as would a hawk to its prey.

“Really? Ahaha… It's nothing, just thinking about… uh stuff.“ Sometimes Lisa wondered why she bothered letting herself speak. Because clearly that wouldn’t sound at all suspicious or utterly unconvincing. 

“Ya huh, but like what _kind_ of stuff? Tell me, tell me!” Hina tugged at Lisa’s sleeve like a toddler, impatiently begging for the new toy that had given rise to a mixture of curiosity and excitement. Which was, as Sayo had once put, a deeply troublesome combination when it came to Hina.

“I too, am rather curious.” Unexpectedly, Yukina had decided she was now interested in partaking in the frivolous concept she knew as conversation, having put aside the bento Lisa had made her to send over an expectant gaze. “Well?”

“Guys, it's really nothing!”

“Hmm, if it was really nothing your face wouldn't get all blanky! Or how you’ll just randomly stare at the ground every few minutes! C’mon, tell us already!” Hina shot Lisa a smug, impish smile that was basically screaming for Lisa to start strangling her. As incoherent as Hina can get at times, she really did have a talent for hitting the mark on things so casually it was like she was just throwing darts blindfolded only to land all her shots on the bullseye. 

“Lisa…” As if to refuse her any time to recover, Yukina’s authoritative tone called to her, that deepening scowl she wore only telling Lisa one thing. She wasn’t about to let this go. “Does this have something to do with Sayo?” And of course, she just had to pick the worst possible thing to say with Hina right there, at her sharpest. Lisa wondered if Yukina had done it on purpose, but quickly ruled it out. She knew her friend too well to be sure that she would not have thought to do something even just slightly sly.

“Onee-chan? What about her? Did she do something? You’ve gotta tell me now, Lisacchi!” Having the single magic word spoken with the power of an incantation, the full attention of Hikawa Hina had now been summoned, shining upon Lisa like a glaring, blistering ray of sunlight. Meaning there’d be no way Lisa could squirm away this time.

“No, no! Sayo hasn't- Geez, y'know what, fine. Let me explain, okay?”

 _No point hiding it now_ , she thought, conceding the information that had been so fervently sought after. It would be senseless to conceal it if it’s just going to cause a misunderstanding in the end, she reasoned with herself, not that it did well to quell her reluctance. _If only they wouldn’t..._

_~~Now, now, don’t go blaming someone else for your own incompetence. Haven’t you learnt anything, you foolish girl?~~ _

“Sayo knows about this...?” She crossed her arms, contemplating through a thick frown. “Was that what the other day was about?”

“Y-Yeah… Look, like I’ve been trying to tell you guys, it's not a big deal.”

“So it's been going for some time now…” The grimace grew in proportion to the dissatisfaction that laced her voice. “Since it wasn't a major issue, you could have just told me. I would've understood.”

“I didn't think I should’ve bothered you with it. Especially _because_ it wasn’t a big issue. Plus, I’ve probably already got it settled.” She tried to give as reassuring a smile as she could. Yukina wasn’t buying it this time apparently, face still contorted unpleasantly. 

“You're always like this.” She muttered, the barest of pouts forming on her features, but only for a split second before she stood up, half-eaten bento in her palms.

“Do whatever you like. I'm going back to class to finish up my composition.” The grass and dried leaves crunched noisily beneath her feet as she shuffled away, seemingly echoing her sentiments of vexation. Though, it appeared Yukina possessed a nuance to express more than just her discontentment, stopping just within an audible distance.

“...thank you for the meal, Lisa.” And she was off, never one to spare even a single glance back. 

“Yukina-chan’s pretty mad, ain’t she?” Contrary to the statement, Hina had sounded more amused than anything else. Lisa turned to note Hina, looking like she just finished an ample feast, securing herself a satisfyingly full stomach in more ways than one. Though that huge smile plastered over her lips remained positively infuriating, despite holding a complete and utter lack of malice or ill intent.

The bell rang out at a most opportune time, clearing away any undesirables like a restart button.

“Well, looks like it’s time to head back. Can’t have Miss President late for class now, can we?”

“Aww…” Hina obediently packed her things, clearly disappointed that she couldn’t have more ‘fun’. Though, Hina was always resourceful and rarely picky. “Hey, hey, can you tell me more about how cool Onee-chan was?” 

Lisa let out a small chuckle. “Sure, sure. Just don’t go telling her, alright?”

Hina made the overplayed gesture of zipping her mouth, earning another laugh from Lisa. She could never stay mad at Hina for long, not that she had been particularly upset at her to begin with. 

These twins had a similarly endearing quality to them, making them at best aggravatingly charming and at worst, an absolute handful to deal with.

* * *

“Imai-san, do you have a moment?”

“Hey Sayo. Need something? Maybe an additional run through together?”

“Not exactly. I was actually meaning to ask you… Have you faced any troubles recently? In relation to…” Sayo trailed off, looking expectantly at Lisa to continue, or for her to get the hint more likely. She had actually expected this scenario to a certain extent, though she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t loath to actually having to deal with it. Especially when Yukina’s glare was searing itself into her back.

“Oh, that. Ahaha, well like I said, I’ll make it so nothing like that will happen again, and I mean, nothing has so! Don’t go worrying too much, okay? You’ll get wrinkles on your cute little face you know.” Diverting, that’s what she does best after all. Though she did think it was nice seeing Sayo flush up like that.

Sayo cleared her throat, the light blush staining from her cheeks up to her ears. “I-Is that so…? Well, do inform me if anything gets out of hand. You know I am always here for you.”

“Y-Yeah…” She swallowed, trying not to let her voice crack, even though she knew it was on the verge to. Holding steady, she pushed down her weakness until she could pretend not to feel it. “Thank you, Sayo. But don’t worry too much, alright? I’ve got this covered.”

Not one to be so easily swayed, Sayo’s brows remained stubbornly furrowed, and it looked like she was about to say something, only to be a second too late. 

“Sayo. Could you come over here for a moment? There’s something in the composition that I require your input on.”

“Of course, Minato-san.” There was a hint of despondency in her features, but she remained compliant to the request, quietly striding towards Yukina.

It seemed Lisa had been saved by Yukina, as peculiar as it was. Nevertheless, her friend’s ire could still be felt permeating throughout the room, so much so that it was practically tangible at this point. If Lisa had known any better, which she did, she’d say that Sayo was, rather obliviously, walking into a lion’s den. Still, she knew Yukina well enough to be sure that her fangs would not be bared so easily, and never without reason or purpose. It was Lisa who she was peeved with, so surely she wouldn’t direct her chagrin towards her innocent, clueless right-hand guitarist, would she? 

Mercifully, it seemed like there’d be no such thing, her two most serious of bandmates already hard at work, sticking their heads together, hearts beating as one for Roselia’s sake.

Some things never change, and while sighing her relief she thought. She ought to keep it this way, shouldn't she? 

* * *

**Soichiro:** come down to the store now. please.

It had been sudden, maybe that’s why it had a stronger impact than it should. Not to mention the pleading tone that the message seemed to have, or maybe Lisa was just projecting it into a somewhat sympathetic light, trying to seek moral redemption for an otherwise disreputable person. Her better judgment and reflexive benevolence warred with each other, until the next message declared a victor for her.

 **Soichiro:** i need your help.

An inability to turn a blind eye to such a blatant plea, she attempted to convince herself that it could be worthwhile giving Soichiro the benefit of the doubt, that in assisting him with his troubles they could later find a way to come to an understanding with one another.

_~~Cunning, selfish wretch. How fickle do you wish to be? You can’t have it both ways.~~ _

Yet she found herself being bombarded with demands and questions as soon as she arrived, not a clue to what was going on. Here she was once again, throwing herself head first into something she hadn’t fully understood. A horrible habit she never truly outgrew, else she wouldn’t be standing in the store looking like an absolute dunce.

“Lisa. Tell him. I wasn’t hurting you. We were just talking.” 

“I-I...” She had been pulled away to the side by a silent Moca, a rare stern look taking up her features, shaking her head as if to chide away any of Lisa’s latent idealism.

“So he managed to talk you into coming down. Though if it’s you, I can see why it wasn’t particularly difficult for him.” The store manager had been present as well, sounding tired rather than irritated, though in his gaze held a softness and a hint of protectiveness even. “Imai, stay out of this, for your own good.” 

“What’d you mean by that?! She’s the whole reason you fired me!” The boy growled at their manager, quick to change his tone, eager to make a show of his fangs.

“What you’ve been doing to Imai was enough of a basis to get you out of here, Ono. Besides the surveillance footage from Monday against your case, there’s been others who’ve provided their testimonials on this situation and on _you_. I won’t let you torment my staff any longer than you already have.” 

He immediately shot Lisa a dirty look, marching towards her only to be stopped midway by their manager slipping between the space between. 

“You must feel really good about yourself, huh?” He spat, wrath twisted into each word. Their manager was just about to speak before Moca decided to take her bite.

“Hey hey now. If you’ve got a bone to pick, come at me instead~. I was the one who gathered the info for the ol’ boss-man~!” As if to top off her declaration, was the patented, wide, shit-eating grin as she spoke. The one that screamed ‘punch me’ louder than words could do justice. And Lisa was sure Soichiro might have done just that had their manager not been present at that moment.

“Aoba, you didn’t have to tell him that! Well, in any case, the details don’t matter. As I told you earlier, you’ve been fired, Soichiro. I won’t be changing my mind, so please go ahead and leave as you reflect on your wrongdoings.”

~

The manager had given Moca an early release from her shift, reasoning that it would be pretty quiet on the off hours so it’ll be fine if it was just him manning the counter. But they knew he was just being nice, a gesture that Moca was more than happy to welcome.

Hazawa Coffee was tranquil as usual at that time of day, thus an excellent spot for lounging about, at least for Moca. They nestled themselves at Moca’s preferred table, hidden slightly to the side of the counter. Tsugumi came by the table as soon after to take their orders, diligent as always. 

Moca had gotten herself ‘the usual’ apparently, as Tsugumi had asked with a giggle once she had made herself comfortable on her seat. Turns out ‘the usual’ meant a french toast set, a stack of pancakes and a pound cake Moca had added at the last minute, saying she didn’t want to be _too_ excessive. Lisa settled for a cup of chamomile tea, currently sitting half finished and cold, alongside two empty plates with crumbs of toast and stains of maple syrup. 

“Are you mad at me, Lisa-san~?” She spoke up, mouth stuffed with pound cake. Really, this girl and her manners, Lisa thought endearingly. 

“No, I’m definitely not mad at you or anything. It’s just…”

“Hm~?” She made sounds through her chewing, eyeing Lisa with a curious gaze. When Lisa still remained quiet in her contemplation, Moca decided to clear the air, in her own way at least.

“Well, it didn't seem like you told Manager-san about it yet so I thought, hey why not~?”

“Yeah, I haven’t mentioned it to him yet… But I said I wou-”

“Handle it~? No offense, Lisa-san, but sometimes I can't really take the stuff you say at face value~. I said I’d help you out if I could, didn't I~? Anyway, that isn’t really the problem here.”

Lisa felt her brows scrunch together as a reflex, though she made quick work to dispel it. Moca, evidently, still managed to catch it, letting out a sigh as she stuck her fork into the heart of her half-done pound cake. 

"Don't you think you have a problem being _too_ nice for your own good sometimes~?"

"B-But..! I could have… I wanted to settle it outside of work. Maybe… Maybe we could have reached some sort of an understanding.” 

Moca tutted in response, her disapproval made plain.

"He'll think you're a pushover, y'know~?"

* * *

Another afternoon session meant another evening shift at the convenience store. It had been a week since the whole incident with Soichiro, yet Sayo had only gotten more persistent, a sharp hike in a certain favoured topic as of late and a dip in music-related concerns. Though, she was never really able to get more than the usual ‘have you been facing difficulties’ type line out, not when Yukina would bid for the rest of Sayo’s time, put to better use dealing with Roselia rather than wasting it worrying about Lisa.

_~~Glad that you know how much a waste of t-~~ _

_Ping._

Ah yes, Sayo’s new approach to her limited time face to face with Lisa. Clawing out that dusty, outdated cellular of hers to send Lisa a text or two a day. 

**Sayo:** I hope you have reached your workplace safely, Imai-san. Do let me know later on when you have gotten home as well. And as always feel free to contact me if you require my assistance.

Sometimes Lisa thinks to laugh at the situation she's found herself in. It's as if she found herself a second mother, though even her own mother was never this unrelenting. Either way she knew better than to be rude, much less to be ungrateful.

 **Lisa:** Don’t worry don’t worry!~ I'll be totally fine! Thanks for the concern though!

And it had been left at that, going quiet on Sayo’s front. Though Lisa would admit that she hadn’t exactly given much for Sayo to work with, if anything at all. Plus, Sayo never was one for small talk, even in person and much less online.

“Ah, Imai! Aoba has told you she won’t be in today, correct?” Her manager had been waiting by the clock-in area, anticipating her arrival. There was a vague look of concern aimed towards her.

“Yeah, guess it’ll just be me for today.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be in the back. So, call me if you need anything, ‘kay?” She gave him the thumbs-up, sending him off on his way to his tiny office in the back. She sighed, somehow feeling a mixture of guilt and annoyance swirling in her stomach. It was silly to worry so much for her, wasn’t it, she wondered, only to get even more guilty for having such a train of thought.

_Bzzt!_

_Speak of the devil._ Lisa peeked down at her phone to find the name of the prime culprit appearing before her.

 **Sayo:** My offer still stands. Should you choose to consider it.

~

Without Moca’s company, the hours tended to drone on, her eyelids drooping down more than once. Yet somehow she had made it all the way to the end still relatively sane, mostly just bored to death. She did a mild clean up of the counter before bidding her manager farewell, greeted by a darkened sky once stepping out the bright, inviting interiors of the convenience store..

Winter days tended to get the sun to slumber sooner than it usually would, merely a few dim rays making their last hurrah before they were to gradually extinguish.

The shortcut she normally took home was towards the more residential areas, so it was generally quieter compared to the standard route. Though if Sayo was here, she’d probably flip out knowing how dark it would get here. But it was just a small price if Lisa wanted to afford a little time for some practice. _I've walked this way a hundred times,_ she thought, _there's no way anyth-_

As if having tempted the heavens themselves, she heard heavy footsteps echoing the alleyway from behind her. Stupidly, she listened to her witless curiosity to turn around rather than heeding her better instinct to clear out of this dark, dank alley that already spelled trouble, if the fast approaching footsteps weren’t enough of an indication.

Turning around like the fool she was, she was met with a man, no, Soichiro coming into view, half his face shrouded by shadows, the other showing his blank stare. And Lisa promptly realized how fucked she was.

~~_Where's your prince now?_ ~~

He had been moving fast, faster than she could react, though maybe she had just been frozen in place. He grabbed her by her shoulders, shoes sliding against the gravel as he shoved her until her back hit the wall harshly. Dimly lit by distant streetlights, she made out the look on his face at the moment, vaguely illustrating a harrowing picture of fury, depravity and triumph. 

“No one to come to your rescue now. I’ll be sure to teach you a lesson until you learn to behave like the good little slut you should be.” She struggled against his grip, holding down both her wrist above her head, his other hand invasively roaming around her lower body, making horribly pleased noises as he continued on despite her protests. The dread of her current situation kicked in at full force, bringing forth the survival instinct within her, She sought to grapple and tussle about wildly, hoping it would shake his hold on her, though not by much with his strength over her. Amidst their scuffle, she caught a weak spot left open, and with her desperation at its peak she hastily sent her foot in between his legs, causing him to barrel back in pain. An opportunity to escape presenting itself, she moved to flee, only to be pulled back roughly by her hair. In an instant, she was clumsily tossed face-first against the uneven wall, the entire weight of his body pushing her against it as if wanting to squeeze all of the air out her lungs.

“Behave, you stupid bitch!”

She let out a whimper even though she hadn’t wanted to show any signs of weakness, not stopping her struggle against him in spite of her efforts proving futile. Laughing at her plight, she could hear the repulsive smile that lined his lips as he spoke.

“Don’t fight it. You’re all mine now.”

What had happened next occurred quickly, too quickly that she couldn’t process it right away. Almost like she had been submerged in water, she emerged out of her waterlogged daze to find Soichiro on the ground, Sayo atop of him, her fists making no little effort in denting any decent features he once had. And an expression Lisa could only describe as pure, unadulterated rage. 

She must have tackled him from behind, while he had been facing Lisa as he spoke. No time to be grateful, she soon noticed that the boy was losing consciousness, the blood flowing out his nose overflowing as it leaked down the side of his face to stain the gravel, already doing well to smear itself all over the girl’s knuckles.

“...S-Sayo? Sayo! Stop!” The girl hadn’t heard the words, fists still tight and striking down again and again. Lisa stumbled over to Sayo, tugging weakly at her bicep, hoping to somehow shake her out of her onslaught. 

“If you do anymore it’ll be assault! Stop, please!”

Maybe it was the pending fear of a criminal charge, maybe she heard the desperation in her trembling voice, or maybe it was because she grew aware of what she had been doing. It didn’t matter as long as she had stopped, turning to look at Lisa, her heated look slowly morphing into one of concern and regret.

“S-Sorry. Call the police, n-now. Please..” She let go of his collar like it had been scaldingly hot, getting up with a haunted sort of expression in her eyes, hands trembling slightly.

Lisa’s hand had been trembling too, fingers quivering as she dialled the numbers into her phone. She kept her voice steady as she spoke over the phone, conveying the situation as clearly and coherently while her mind was still in the right place. 

“A-Are you hurt?” Sayo had spoken as soon as Lisa had put down her phone, standing right by her side though keeping just a breath’s space apart almost as a form of courtesy. Lisa turned to find Sayo’s eyes, filled with concern, worry, tenderness and whatever else she could have attached to it.

It made Lisa weak. So just this once, she would let herself give in.

She threw herself into Sayo, burying her face into the other girl’s shoulder, hiding her tears but she knew Sayo could already feel them staining into the fabric. 

Sayo said nothing, though her arms looped around Lisa, pulling her closer and tighter into the embrace, staying that way as they waited for help to come.

~

According to the police, Soichiro had been stalking Lisa for at least 4 days based on the photos he had taken of her on his phone, as well as the notes written on his phone on the exact routes she would take when travelling to and fro from her home, school, work or practice. It was unnerving finding out that everything had taken place right under her oblivious nose. Sayo had also been present when the police made their statement on the situation, a deep scowl that only became more sunken in as Soichiro’s activities were increasingly unraveled.

After a short bout of admin matters and general paperwork, the pair was free to leave, the police promising to get back with Lisa and her family on the status of this case in the coming future. The streets were close to empty save for a few passers-by here and there.

They hadn't spoken since leaving the station. Actually, they hadn't even spoken to each other since they ended up at the station, too caught up in the intensity of the situation and having been separated to have their individual statements taken. Their destination remained unspoken, though they were headed in the vague, general direction of their residential district. Lisa looked out from the corner of her eye, catching Sayo’s deep, thoughtful expression as her gaze fixed itself firmly on the ground. Lisa had wanted to speak, to talk.

_But what would I say?_

As if aware of her inner thoughts, Sayo stopped abruptly, deciding to be the first one to break the thin ice.

"I thought I told you to tell me if he was still bothering you." And she had chosen to have them both plunge head first into freezing waters. 

"Sayo, calm down. Remember, I said I would handle it myself."

"It didn't look particularly well handled just now."

"I know it looked bad bu-"

"But what? He hasn't been stalking you for 4 days? That he wasn't going to try-" She made an immediate stop, before letting out a sigh, regaining a flat tone. "I'm not trying to blame you for what happened, or for anything frankly. I just wish you would trust me more. If at all."

Sayo probably hadn’t meant to, hadn’t even known what she said would result in it, yet it did. Sayo had just struck a nerve, even if Lisa herself didn’t quite understand why now or why at all. She just knew it had been hit.

“I don- Is this what this is about?! You think I don't trust you?”

“That's part of the issue, yes. Bu-" 

"Oh my god! This isn't like that! This has nothing to do with whether I trust you or not! I wanted to deal with this on my own, by my _own_ hand. What part of that do you not get!"

“Can’t you see that this has been part of a greater problem?! How you practically refuse any and all help despite how illogical it ends up being?! While I don’t agree with Aoba-san’s methods, at least she’s been getting some form of results by forcing her assistance down your throat.” 

“Oh, okay. So you’ve actually already known about this, haven’t you? And for a week too, nice.” She had let out what she was sure sounded like a sardonic, dry laugh, unable to stop herself. She knew it was bubbling to the surface, the terrible, repulsive thing she wished she knew how to be rid of. “Why even bother badgering me this badly then? What, you needed a sound check or something?” 

She ignored that last bit for the most part, though the short glare shot in her direction told Lisa she might have faintly irked her. 

“Because I wanted _you_ to tell me, Imai-san. Doing it of your own volition. However, it seems you don't trust me enough to actually share the troubles you've been facing, or anything at all really. I had to find out from literally everyone else besides you. If Hazawa-san hadn’t informed me of Aoba-san’s ailment just now, I might not even… even...” She clenched her fists so hard that Lisa could make out parts of flesh turning white. She must have hated how she had allowed her voice to crack, what with her face scrunching up as tightly as it did. Then she let out an exasperated sound.

“Who exactly, are you trying to fool with this farce anyway?”

“Excuse me?!”

“Do you think anyone enjoys watching you do this? Hiding your problems and acting like everything's alright all the time? Why can't you just tell someone when something’s actually wrong?! Why can’t you trust anyone?!” Sayo had become increasingly impassioned with each word, her voice brimming with frustration, lime green eyes sharp like daggers. And cut they did, causing a retaliation to manifest itself in turn.

“You talk about trust. But it's a two way street, Sayo. And it's clear you don't exactly trust me all that much either.” She knew it had been a low blow, a way to squeeze an escape. Yet why did it still hurt to smile? A dull aching pain as she raised the corners of her lips.

“I- That’s not the issue here, Imai-san.”

“How is it not? Aren’t we talking about trust now? It’s only fair if I mention my piece, no?”

Sayo’s glare was fixed on Lisa though she had yet to speak, jaw held tight. 

_~~Ironic, isn’t it? You speak of fairness but you aren’t being particularly fair yourself are you? You and your hypocrisy.~~ _

Yet, she went on, knowing better that she should stop but didn’t. “I mean the fact that you’ve been persistently hounding me doesn’t exactly show the greatest of trust now, does it? What, you gonna start micromanaging me next?”

“Even now, you still rather do anything in your power if it means concealing the truth within yourself. You and your secrets. How many more do you have stashed away, I wonder.” Evidently, Sayo had seen through her poor attempt to change course, how she rather rile Sayo up than to let go of any weakness she had locked away.

_~~Too close, she’s getting too close. If she finds out, it'll destroy everything.~~ _

“You don't know anything. You don't understand _anything_.” It was her turn to clench her fists, fingernails digging into her palms as she bit the inside of her gums so hard that they might tear open.

“Precisely. I won't understand because you refuse to tell me or anyone anything!”

She had to bite down her tongue to stop herself from saying something she’ll regret. Lime green eyes stared back at her with a determination as well as a sincere light in them that made Lisa feel worse about herself each passing moment.

"If you say any more words than you have, I’ll lose control." Lisa whispered through gritted teeth.

"If it means you'd give me more than half-truths, I gladly invite you to."

Her eyes widened, stumbling back gracelessly. Sayo had been close enough to catch her, keeping her from falling, yet she still felt as if the world was spinning. What with the way those eyes attempted to peer into her mind's eye. Earnest and innocent. Genuine.

Lisa wanted to retch into a hole and lie in it. Like she deserves.

"I-I... It'll hurt you..."

_~~Stupidstupidstupid. This is why you don't deserv-~~ _

When she turned to run, pushing past Sayo, like the coward she was, she caught just barely the look in those green eyes, forlorn and utterly gutted. Lisa had wanted to turn back then, to tell the truth, to apologize, to beg, to hug her. Or just to touch her, _feel_ her.

But she didn’t. Just kept running and running until she couldn’t breathe, until she could shake off the whisper of words she had narrowly caught as she ran off. Words that would stay with her well into her slumber.

“I said half-truths, not half-lies.”

~

Coming home had been a whirlwind of a daze, Lisa barely remembering much of it, just vague recollections of items she did, such as explaining to her parents briefly about the incident, having her dinner, entering the bathroom to wash up. A haze had taken up her mind, keeping all her thoughts empty for the most part.

Exiting the shower, she heard vaguely the sounds of her mother on the phone. Strange, they never got calls this late into the night. She wonders if it might be from the station.

“Thank you for your concern, Hikawa-san. I'll let her know you called once she's done. Have a good rest.”

“Was that Sayo?” She dragged her feet out her hiding spot behind the wall, not that there was anything in particular to hide from. Perhaps just a force of habit on her part.

“Ah, Lisa. Yes, you just missed her by a hair. Hikawa-san called up to ask if you’ve gotten home safe. What a nice friend you have.”

Lisa flinched at the statement. “Y-Yeah. I’m going off to bed now. Goodnight, Mom.”

“Rest well, Lisa.”

She scurried into her room, shutting in hastily as she slid down onto the ground, holding her knees to her chest.

_Even after that, she still..._

Lisa hated how much she could do, the extent she'll go even though she might not feel like doing so. It's things like that that made it even more difficult for Lisa. Not that she could bring herself to hate Sayo, much less be mad at her.

The only thing this did was to make her hate herself even more than she already did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, i was contemplating a lot about whether i should've added that one scene in (you know the one). But since i had already built it up in a sense, i decided to just go with it. Moreover, i would think in a more realistic setting, certain parts of Lisa's personality would definitely become somewhat problematic, this being one such potential scenario imo. I apologize if it had been rather overkill and/or if any of you reading felt uncomfortable because of it. Rest assured, Soichiro is unlikely to make a comeback, don’t worry I absolutely despise as well!
> 
> And in case you're wondering, no, there isn't any ghost bassist wandering around Lisa, though the timing fits with that recent JP Roselia event haha.
> 
> Again, feel free to share your thoughts on the chapter, especially if it felt a little too whonky or anything.


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